Hope Chapel Onsite Animal Policy - Page 1
Please note that religious institutions and organizations are specifically exempt from Title III of the American Disabilities Act (ADA), therefore it is up to each individual church body to make the decision on animal allowances. Hope Chapel leadership has unanimously adopted the following policies effective immediately.
No animals are permitted on church grounds or in buildings other than legally documented, fully trained service dogs which have been previously approved by Hope Chapel Elders and the Lead Pastor.*
Hope Chapel defines service dogs as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.” (ADA Revised Requirements: Service Animals) Examples of such work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, or calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack.
Service dogs are working animals, not pets. The work or task a service dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, commonly referred to as emotional support dogs, do not qualify as service dogs and are thereby not permitted on Hope Chapel grounds.
When it is not obvious what service a dog provides, the Hope Chapel staff or leaders may ask the handler: 1) is the dog a service dog required because of a disability? and 2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Hope Chapel desires to be inclusive of all people with disabilities and to ensure freedom to worship to everyone. We also have a responsibility to our church membership to help educate our members and provide a safe environment for all people desiring to worship at Hope Chapel. This includes limiting all fall hazards as much as possible. Therefore, if someone attends our services with a service dog, we expect the service dog and the handlers to meet the following standards and expectations:
• Service dogs must remain with their handlers while on campus.
• Service dogs must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service dog’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the dog through voice, signal, or other effective controls.
• Service dogs do not whine, bark, grumble, or make other noises (example: snoring). An exception may be if the whining is an alert, such as to notify the handler who is experiencing a physical complication.
No animals are permitted on church grounds or in buildings other than legally documented, fully trained service dogs which have been previously approved by Hope Chapel Elders and the Lead Pastor.*
Hope Chapel defines service dogs as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.” (ADA Revised Requirements: Service Animals) Examples of such work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, or calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack.
Service dogs are working animals, not pets. The work or task a service dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, commonly referred to as emotional support dogs, do not qualify as service dogs and are thereby not permitted on Hope Chapel grounds.
When it is not obvious what service a dog provides, the Hope Chapel staff or leaders may ask the handler: 1) is the dog a service dog required because of a disability? and 2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Hope Chapel desires to be inclusive of all people with disabilities and to ensure freedom to worship to everyone. We also have a responsibility to our church membership to help educate our members and provide a safe environment for all people desiring to worship at Hope Chapel. This includes limiting all fall hazards as much as possible. Therefore, if someone attends our services with a service dog, we expect the service dog and the handlers to meet the following standards and expectations:
• Service dogs must remain with their handlers while on campus.
• Service dogs must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service dog’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the dog through voice, signal, or other effective controls.
• Service dogs do not whine, bark, grumble, or make other noises (example: snoring). An exception may be if the whining is an alert, such as to notify the handler who is experiencing a physical complication.
Hope Chapel Onsite Animal Policy - Page 2
• Service dogs do not obstruct an area used for emergency evacuation.
• Hope Chapel is not obligated to provide care, food, water, or any designated location for the service dog to relieve itself. A service dog’s handler is expected to attend to all such needs of a service dog and shall not allow the service dog to emit bodily fluids of any type inside the church facility including drool, urine, or blood. It is the handler’s responsibility to promptly clean up or otherwise address any accident, mess, or damages caused by a service dog.
Courtesy and Respect: We ask that all service dogs and handlers please limit your seating and walking areas to be sensitive to our members with animal allergies and fear of dogs. If the service dog becomes a distraction or disruption in any way, the handler and service dog will be asked to move to our Family Room, a separate location just outside the sanctuary which was made for such purposes. Full view of the worship service or Hope Chapel event is easily accessible in this area.
We reserve the right to remove a service dog from the premises if it: (a) is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to promptly control it; (b) poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others; or (c) the handler fails to comply with the standards and expectation set forth herein. We further reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to revoke any prior approval granted for any service dog. Hope Chapel seeks to maintain a clean, healthy environment for all of our members and guests.
Before entering Hope Chapel’s premises, the person wishing to have a Service Dog on the premises must present all of the following information to an usher, security team member or church office:
• Documentation that the dog is required owing to a disability or mental illness on the part of the person wishing to have a dog on the premises; and
• Documentation that the dog is a properly trained service animal; and
• Proof of the dog’s vaccination status. To protect public health, we require all service dogs to be current on all vaccinations.
• The signed and dated copy of this policy
If approved by Hope Chapel leadership, the required service dog will be permitted under the following conditions:
Service dogs must be properly cleaned and must not have a foul odor. This will be determined by usher or security team member on duty.
Service dogs will be fully restrained at all times.
Service dogs will be kept upon the lap of the person requiring the dog or on the floor directly beneath or adjacent to where said person is seated.
• Hope Chapel is not obligated to provide care, food, water, or any designated location for the service dog to relieve itself. A service dog’s handler is expected to attend to all such needs of a service dog and shall not allow the service dog to emit bodily fluids of any type inside the church facility including drool, urine, or blood. It is the handler’s responsibility to promptly clean up or otherwise address any accident, mess, or damages caused by a service dog.
Courtesy and Respect: We ask that all service dogs and handlers please limit your seating and walking areas to be sensitive to our members with animal allergies and fear of dogs. If the service dog becomes a distraction or disruption in any way, the handler and service dog will be asked to move to our Family Room, a separate location just outside the sanctuary which was made for such purposes. Full view of the worship service or Hope Chapel event is easily accessible in this area.
We reserve the right to remove a service dog from the premises if it: (a) is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to promptly control it; (b) poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others; or (c) the handler fails to comply with the standards and expectation set forth herein. We further reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to revoke any prior approval granted for any service dog. Hope Chapel seeks to maintain a clean, healthy environment for all of our members and guests.
Before entering Hope Chapel’s premises, the person wishing to have a Service Dog on the premises must present all of the following information to an usher, security team member or church office:
• Documentation that the dog is required owing to a disability or mental illness on the part of the person wishing to have a dog on the premises; and
• Documentation that the dog is a properly trained service animal; and
• Proof of the dog’s vaccination status. To protect public health, we require all service dogs to be current on all vaccinations.
• The signed and dated copy of this policy
If approved by Hope Chapel leadership, the required service dog will be permitted under the following conditions:
Service dogs must be properly cleaned and must not have a foul odor. This will be determined by usher or security team member on duty.
Service dogs will be fully restrained at all times.
Service dogs will be kept upon the lap of the person requiring the dog or on the floor directly beneath or adjacent to where said person is seated.
Hope Chapel Onsite Animal Policy - Page 3
If the service dog is seated on the floor, a blanket or cloth will be placed beneath the service dog.
Service dogs will not be permitted on any church furniture.
The service dog shall not urinate inside any building and will only be allowed to urinate in a grassy area that is a reasonable distance away from any building or walkway and not on any buildings, fences, signs, trees, or other items owned by Hope Chapel.
Should any person present have issues with dog/animal allergies or fear of dogs, a service dog’s handler will give preferential treatment to said persons.
The Handler and Service Dog will quickly follow the directions of an Usher, Security team member on duty or Elder if asked to either proceed to the Family Room or leave the premises.
If the owner of a service dog wishes to question any of these policies, they may schedule an appointment to do so. They will not be discussed on days set aside for worship services.
*Pre-approved, non-service dog exceptions may include special, one-time events such as Vacation Bible School. However, such approval is in Hope Chapel’s sole discretion and must be obtained in advance of any such event.
I have read and understand the above-mentioned Hope Chapel Animal Policies and will abide by them in their entirety.
_________________________________________________________
Printed Name of Service Dog Handler
____________________________________________________________________
Signature of Service Dog Handler Date
____________________________________________________________________
Witness (Printed Name & Signature)
Service dogs will not be permitted on any church furniture.
The service dog shall not urinate inside any building and will only be allowed to urinate in a grassy area that is a reasonable distance away from any building or walkway and not on any buildings, fences, signs, trees, or other items owned by Hope Chapel.
Should any person present have issues with dog/animal allergies or fear of dogs, a service dog’s handler will give preferential treatment to said persons.
The Handler and Service Dog will quickly follow the directions of an Usher, Security team member on duty or Elder if asked to either proceed to the Family Room or leave the premises.
If the owner of a service dog wishes to question any of these policies, they may schedule an appointment to do so. They will not be discussed on days set aside for worship services.
*Pre-approved, non-service dog exceptions may include special, one-time events such as Vacation Bible School. However, such approval is in Hope Chapel’s sole discretion and must be obtained in advance of any such event.
I have read and understand the above-mentioned Hope Chapel Animal Policies and will abide by them in their entirety.
_________________________________________________________
Printed Name of Service Dog Handler
____________________________________________________________________
Signature of Service Dog Handler Date
____________________________________________________________________
Witness (Printed Name & Signature)